


What We Stumbled Upon

by Dark_Huntress_Moony



Series: Stand up and Fight [1]
Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe, Bad Puns, Buckle up kids, F/M, I'm Bad At Tagging, M/M, No Shepard without Vakarian, Shepard Twins (Mass Effect), Shepard makes Dad Jokes, Slow Build, Xenophilia, Xenophobia, both shepards are named after old music stars, gratuitous 80s music refrences, paganism refrences, this is gonna get fun, we're going from game one to game three
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-24
Updated: 2019-08-31
Packaged: 2020-09-25 05:03:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20371132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dark_Huntress_Moony/pseuds/Dark_Huntress_Moony
Summary: Shepard is a name that carries a lot of weight in the Alliance Navy. XO Hannah Shepard, one of the most shewed minds aboard the SSV Kilimanjaro, and Lieutenant-Commander John Shepard Sr, a decorated war hero who died during the First Contact War saving a commanding officer, have passed their talents on to their two children, John and Stevie Shepard. Both quickly climbed the ranks after joining up at the age of 18, participating in Species Cultural Exchanges as well as heroes of the Skyllian Blitz when they were just 22. Between John's biotic abilities and Stevie's technical abilities the two are one of the fiercest teams in the Alliance and can get a post on any ship they want. When they are asked aboard the SSV Normandy the twins knew they were in for the ride of their life, no one told them just how quick their lives would change.





	1. Eden Prime

**Author's Note:**

> Hello hello my loves!
> 
> Have no idea what's going on here, for some reason here we are and I never see any Male Shep/Garrus stories they are so few and far between I wanted to build my own. Both are custom Shepards and we are going to have fun with this.
> 
> John Shepard Jr: Named after his father (& Jon Bon Jovi)/Adept/Spacer/Sole Survivor  
Stevie Shepard: Named After Stevie Nicks/Engineer/Spacer/War Hero
> 
> Be warned now there is going to be a lot of music jokes, dad jokes, and just all around bad puns. Also slow as hell burn because in this house we love to do the slow burn and drive everyone insane.

The ship was abuzz with activity, the pilot calling out preparations as Commander Stevie Shepard made her way to the cockpit. A wide grin split her face as she saw her fraternal twin bent low trying to flirt with the LT who sat in the co-pilot chair and was giving the other Shepard a small bemused smile. "Johnny cut the man some slack you skank." She laughed giving him a playful punch to his ribs. 

"Way to cockblock Stevie," John grumbled, rubbing his side as he stood up and raked a hand through his long copper colored hair; pulling it into a top knot. He stepped back as his sister took his place, bending low to look at the readings that Alenko was showing her. Truly the man had no interest in the LT, mostly harmlessly flirting to get under Stevie's skin. John's tastes tend to run to a bit more 'exotic styles' as their mother liked to laugh when complaining that she wasn't getting any grandchildren any time soon. A smile crossed his face as he watched Stevie, her hair wasn't as red as his falling more to their mothers strawberry blonde than their fathers dark copper hair. Both twins having gem colored eyes that shifted between green and blue depending on their moods. Stevie stood up, moving to stand back and watch the two men at work and flicking her braided hair over her shoulder. 

"Approaching Mass Relay in 3...2..." Stevie grinned as she watched the universe speed by and only stumbled slightly with John to catch her as they came to a smooth drift. "Jump successful," Joker smirked, sounding smug. "Thrusters...check...Navigation…check. Internal emission sink engaged, all systems online. Drift...just under 1500k."

"1500 is good...your captain will be pleased." Stevie grinned as the Turian on board spooked her brother, the adept jolting and making a small squeaking sound. She cast a glance over to see Nihlus's mandible twitch in amusement as he turned to leave and John blushing furiously.

"I hate that guy," Joker mumbled loud enough for the other three soldiers to hear.

"Nihlus gave you a compliment...so you hate him?" Kaidan's smooth baritone drifted over to them and John bit back a laugh as he settled next to his twin.

"You remember to zip up your jumpsuit on the way out of the bathroom? That's good. I just jumped us half way across the galaxy and hit a target the size of a pin head. So that'd incredible!"

The two men fell into a light argument as the twins sat back to talk quietly. "The LT...really Johnny?"

"Oh don't give me that, you've been making goo-goo eyes at him since we dropped our stuff in the lockers and we were introduced." He dodged a jab from her and smirked. "Someone's gotta light a fire under your ass."

"Says the man drooling after the only Turian on the ship." Stevie snarked glaring at him.

"Hey Shepards," Joker called back capturing their attention. "Captain wants to see you."

"Lets get the party started then," John laughed as he slung an arm around Stevie's shoulders. They ignored the ogling looks as they walked, used to stares from everyone who knew their name whenever they were assigned a new ship. The twins and what they had gone through was no secret. Both completing the N7 program and being heroes of the Skyllian Blitz when they were only 22. John was a terrifyingly powerful Biotic with some serious kick to his power and Stevie a brilliant MIT graduate and technological genius. During their training they had spearheaded a 'Galactic Species Exchange' program where John worked with other Biotics, mainly Asari and Drell with a few Turian, while Stevie worked with Salarian and Turians on weapon modification and tech upgrades. At 26 Stevie was hailed as a War Hero for battling back Batarians who thought to enslave humans where she was taking her shore leave. John had his own reputation for taking down a Thresher Maw at 24 when his squad was attacked and still lived to tell the tale. They liked to joke that the two times they had been split up bad things happened to them. A brief stop to XO Presley had Stevie pulling her brother away from the slightly xenophobic navigator and making polite small talk with the ships doctor and a green gilled rookie.

The two slid into the debriefing room to see Nihlus standing there looking over a datapad. The twins snapped to attention offering Turian salutes to the Specter, who in turn eyed them with surprise. "You two greet like Turian soldiers," his voice held an amused timber as his mandibles twitched.

"Dad died during First Contact but we've made friends with a lot of Turians, Asari, Drell, and Salarians over the years." Stevie smiled as they both relaxed. "Part of my MIT days were spent with the Galactic Species Exchange. Johnny and I both were some of the first to sign up, it was mostly Turian and Salarian for me."

"That was in your file," Nihlus nodded his eyes turning to look over John.

"I spent time with some biotic groups, mainly Asari and Drell on Thessia."

"Read that as well," Nihlus hummed as he walked around the two of them, looking the humans over. "You both have impressive service records. If your names weren't so human I'd almost peg you both for Turian. Nearly all the same services."

"Just different abilities." John laughed.

Before Nihlus could comment, the doors opened with a hiss and Anderson made his way down. The two humans snapped to attention and a small smile played on their CO's lips. "John, Stevie at ease," he watched as they relaxed. "I see you three are getting acquainted."

"Gotta ask Sir," Stevie hummed bouncing on her toes. Her aquamarine eyes glittering in the low light with burning curiosity, "why do we have a Specter on board?"

"Especially since this is just a test run for the new ship design." John folded his arms over his chest as he arched an eyebrow.

"You two are some of the best and brightest humanity has to offer," Anderson began. "Nihlus is here to test you. Both of you."

The twins stared in slack jawed awe and Nihlus's mandibles twitched in amusement. "Humanity has put your names up as the first human Specter candidates. Impress-"

"Uh...Captain, you're gonna wanna see this." Joker's voice broke over the intercom. "Emergency transmission from Eden Prime."

"Get it on the screen Joker." The four in the room gaped as they watched in horror the attack and a frantic Marine begging for help. In the background the deteriorated image glared at them and Anderson sighed. "Go get your gear on. Grab Alenko and Jenkins and get ground side."

The two nodded sharply, giving respectful salutes as they turned heel and booked it from the room. "Got the playlist geared up?" John asked as he motioned Alenko and Jenkins to the elevator.

"Nothing like classic 1980's rock to get the blood pumping for a mission." Stevie laughed tapping away on her omni-tool as John hit the screen to ride down to cargo. John chuckled at the confused looks they got from the other two men.

~::~~::~~::~~::~~::~~::~~::~~::~

Eden Prime was a shit storm.

Plane and simple.

Losing Jenkins pretty much right out of the gate hit Stevie harder than John, the woman not used to people dying under her command. They ran into geth, a lone Marine who's whole squad was slaughtered, and crazy electrical zombies. "I blame you Stevie!" John yelled as he glowed blue and flung a groaning corpse away from him. Alenko blinked at the sheer power the other man had and added his own support to the fight.

"How'd you-Williams on your left!-figure that?" Stevie mused from her perch atop a pre-fab with her sniper rifle. She watched through the scope as John vaulted over a rock to land in front of Ashley and throw several husks away for Kaidan to finish off. the newest member of their team watching him with awe. _'Oh hunny, wrong parts and species._ ' she thought to herself with a small chuckle.

"Because you're bad luck!" John downed a husk with his pistol as Kaidan's laugh echoed over the coms.

"Oh go kiss a Turian!"

"Find me a cute one!"

Stevie climbed down from her perch after the fight and slung her sniper rifle over her back again. "All clear, looks like the space port is that way. We can probably catch up to Nihlus and get a move on."

Finding the Turian wasn't hard, and with a lone human the only witness to the murder, they were on their way. More geth stood between them and their destination, a couple defused bombs later the air was heavy with silence as the four humans stood on the platform where a glowing beacon waited for pickup. "So strange," Ashley mumbled as she eyed the beacon wearily.

"That's Prothean tech for you," Kaidan laughed as he turned back to speak with Stevie and John.

"But why would the Geth need it?" She asked and then gasped as the beacon lit up like a firework display and she felt herself getting dragged forward.

"Ashley!" John shoved past his sister, arms like steel bands around the woman's waist and flung her into Stevie. The women grunted at the impact as Kaidan steadied them, Stevie's eyes going wide as John was dragged forward.

"Johnny!" She screamed, panic taking over as she tried to lunge forward.

"No! It's to dangerous!" Kaidan yelled as he grabbed the Marine around the waist, grunting in shock at the strength she had as she tried to shake him off. 

"Lemme go LT! Johnny!" She gasped, tears gathering in her eyes as she watched him lifted by some invisible force. "Johnny!"

Images flickered before John's eyes and he felt like his head was going to implode. With a heavy thud he dropped, cracking the back of his skull against metal as all light and sound faded from him.


	2. The Citadel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When the twins are on the Citadel things get fun

Voices slowly drew John out of the abyss as well as a throbbing around his implant making him groan. He grunted as he pushed himself up, a hand grabbing his shoulder as the soft scent of orchids wafted around him. He blinked, the medbay of the Normandy swimming into focus as he saw Stevie perched at his side, her hand clutching at his shoulder, Ashley at the end of the bed, and Anderson and Dr. Chakwas on his other side. Stevie threw her arms around him, "Thank the gods Johnny." she whispered before punching him in the chest. "Do that again I will send you to Tartarus myself."

John grunted at the force of the impact and rubbed at his chest. "How long was I out?"

"About two hours," Ashley said. "you got hurt because of me..."

"You had no way of knowing what would happen." John assured her with a small smile. "I'm glad you weren't hurt."

Stevie sighed as she watched Ashely give John a small, shy smile. "C'mon gunner. Let's let them check him out and I'll show you your bunk and locker. Looks like your Normandy crew now." She turned aquamarine eyes to her twin and pointed a finger at him, "do everything the doc says Johnny."

"Or what Stevie?" His own eyes glinting like emeralds in the low light.

She smirked at him, "or I'll call mom."

Anderson bit his lip to keep the grin from splitting his face as Chakwas covered her own mouth. Stevie hurriedly pushed the Gunnery Chief out of the medbay only to stop short at seeing Kaidan. The three of them talked quietly until the hissing of the medbay had Stevie jumping up. John gave her a small smile as he held an icepack to the back of his head. "Doc gave me the all clear, I just have a killer headache."

Kaidan chuckled as he tossed a pill bottle to John, "welcome to the L2 club." John snorted, wincing a bit as his head throbbed around his implant.

"So what's next?" Ashley asked.

John popped two pills and downed them with the water that Stevie handed him. "We're off to the Citadel, should be fun."

~::~~::~~::~~::~~::~~::~~::~~::~

"Well," Stevie sighed as she rubbed her eyes. "That was useless."

"We just gotta find the evidence," Kaidan supplied somewhat helpfully.

"Easier said than done," Ashley shook her head eyeing John as he spoke to Anderson and Udina.

Stevie sighed again, "right...well there's a guy over there acting weird, let me know when we're moving out." She scampered off to talk with a shifty looking Salarian.

"Is it just me...or are they weird?" Ashley asked, shifting on her feet.

"How so?" Kaidan asked, watching Stevie lean over the Salarain's omni-tool to get a good look at whatever they were talking about.

Ashley shrugged as she saw John break away from Anderson. "They seem really...comfortable here." She muttered as the Commander joined them, "Sir?"

"At ease," John blew a breath out, making a strand of his copper hair flip back. "Where's Stevie?"

"Right here," she hummed as she slid up to his side tapping away at her omni-tool. "How'd it go with Anderson and Emperor Dickweavel?"

John roared in laughter, Stevie not even looking up. "How long have you been holding onto that one?"

She shrugged, "Your commendation party I think. Udina's a fucking snake and he hit on mom. Gross."

John snorted, "whatcha got there?" He asked leaning over to look at her omni-tool.

"Illegal stuff," She laughed as she clicked it closed. "So?"

"Who feels like a drink? I need a drink." John announced, slinging an arm around Stevie's shoulders. The twins walked ahead, both whistling some long forgotten tune.

"Yeah...defiantly weird," Ashley muttered as Kaidan laughed.

~::~~::~~::~~::~~::~~::~~::~~::~~::~

"This is the last time you pick the bar Johnathan Fleetwood Shepard!" Stevie yelled as she ducked a body that was biotically thrown her way.

"Well excuse me Princess! I forgot that I needed to reschedule my assassination for next week."

Kaidan's brow furrowed as he looked at Stevie, "Fleetwood?"

John groaned as he shook his head, "our mother is stuck in music from somewhere around 1960 to 1990...John's a family name but I'm also named after the Bon Jovi frontman. Stevie is named after Stevie Nicks, lead singer to Fleetwood Mac." John grinned, "her middle name is-"

"You finish that sentence I'll show you exactly why I was top of my snipping class." The threat clear in her voice as the twins glared at each other until Ashley cleared her throat.

"We still have drinks to get."

John snorted, "right 'drinks'."

"What?!" Stevie sqwaked in outrage. "We aren't drinking?!" She fell into Kaidan with a sob of mock outrage, the bemused man blushing a bit as he righted his commanding officer.

John just laughed as he lead the way into the seedy bar. "Drinks" turned out to be a washed up C-sec officer that tried to cajole Stevie into a lap dance. That resulted in John having to bodily move his twin as they got the information. John pinched the bridge of his nose as they exited the bar and he sighed. "Right, so Stevie you take Kaidan and go talk to Barla Von. Ashley and I will go track down this Vakarian and see what he knows."

Ashley and Kaidan watched the twins as John wrapped his hand around the back of Stevie's neck and she mirrored the movement, resting her forehead against his. Soft words were had, to soft for the other humans to hear and they broke away from each other. Stevie motioned for Kaidan to follow her before turning back to John. "You got your coin Johnny?"

John reached into his armor and fished out his dogtags, a clunky bit of bronze clinking against the tags. "Always, got yours?"

She tapped two fingers to her breastplate. She turned and was gone in a swirl of strawberry blonde hair and Ashley arched an eyebrow at John. "What was that?" She asked as she fell into step with him and they made their way through the markets. 

"Hm? You've never heard?" John laughed as they took the steps two at a time, pausing for a fan to get his autograph much to the Gunnery Cheif's amusement. "I thought the whole Navy knew."

"Knew what?"

"Stevie, mom, and I are all polythestic. Hell the whole family is, mom used to tell us all about grandma Shepard and the family dinners when her and dad were on leave. Big, loud, and Greek."

"You're Greek?"

"On dad's side. Irish on moms. Dad loved Ancient Greek history and mom kept up the tradition after he died. The Coin is for the Ferryman so we can get to the other side when we die. We also said a prayer to Hermes."

Ashley blinked, "Hermes..."

John shrugged as they rounded a corner. "God of Travelers. Remind me to show you dads shrine that mom has up on any post shes on. Now c'mon we have a Turian to find."

~::~~::~~::~~::~~::~~::~~::~~::~~::~

"Stevie's right!" Ashley panted as she finally lowered her gun, "you suck at picking places to go."

John snorted, his eyes drifting to the Turian who stood with the doctor. He now had a good look at the face he had seen going in to meet with the Council and John knew he was in trouble. Garrus Vakarian was damned gorgeous; young for a Turian, his plating a beautiful gunmetal silver with striking blue eyes. "Nice shooting," John blurted, mentally slapping himself at how green and breathless he sounded trying to compliment the man.

Garrus arched a browplate at him, his mandible twitching. "Not bad in a firefight yourself...for a human."

John bit back the purr in Vakarian's voice and shook himself, "right. Good thing we were here to help. Are you alright Doctor?"

"Yes," the woman sighed. "Damned thugs."

"They were Fists's men. I followed a lead here that might help you get Seren grounded." Garrus offered, "A Quarian has some information. Could be useful."

John felt the smirk and he couldn't help it. "Yeah? Didn't your superior say to back down?"

Garrus shrugged, "I'm a bad Turian."

_I bet you are,_ John thought to himself as his omnitool beeped. "Stevie?"

"Johnny..." Her voice was singsong drawing the attention of Garrus and Ashley. "How do you feel about Krogan?"

John grinned, "bout the same as you feel about Quarians."

Stevie's delighted laugh rang over the coms. "Kai and I are heading down to grab a Krogan and pay a visit to a crime syndicate."

The snort that left John's mouth had Ashley and Garrus looking at the Commander with some concern and he waved them off. "Meet in Udina's office in an hour."

"Better make it two...Krogans." Stevie laughed, "Hermes guide you."

"Thanatos guard you," He closed the link and grinned at Garrus, "so...about this Quarian?"

~::~~::~~::~~::~~::~~::~~::~~::~~::~

The Shepard twins looked with shock at their Captain, "you're shitting me." John gaped.

"You two are the only hope we have. Take care of each other."

"Always do Captain," Stevie said, her eyes deceptively wet as her lower lip trembled.

Anderson sighed as he drew the engineer into a hug. "You two can do this. You have to."

She nodded as she pulled herself together and the two saluted the Captain before boarding the ship. John gave his sisters arm a squeeze as they separated, himself heading to Joker and Stevie walking down to the Galaxy map to where the three newest members of their crew stood. "All good Joker?" John asked as he looked at the pilot.

"Ready to go where you wanna go, Commander." Joker said as the console lit up under his hands. "Wanna have a word for the crew? Coms are open."

John sighed as he scrubbed a hand over his face and leaned over tapping his fingers against the coms interface. "This is Commander Shepard. Most, if not all, of you are new to my command. Welcome to our new crew members. We are on a mission from Anderson and the council won't help us any more than they have by making Stevie and I specters. We have their permission to bring in Saren and that is exactly what we are going to do. It's time to show just how Humanity can play with the big boys. We aren't going to let another Eden Prime happen and Saren will pay for what he has done. Be ready to depart and let's go see these stars." He could hear the cheers as he cut the coms and he rubbed a hand over his face again. "Get us out of here Joker. I'll plot our course once we leave dock."

"Aye, aye Commander. Anderson'd be proud of the ra-ra speech."

John cracked a smile, "let's get going, gotta show the Council we can play big league." He chuckled as he headed for the Captains quarters to get out of his armor.


End file.
